Traffic changes at Kirkwall Pier

Changes are being to vehicle entrance and exit arrangements at Kirkwall Pier.

According to the OIC, the current exit on to Shore Street (between the car park and the Orkney Ferries building) will become both an entrance and an exit, with the current entrance from Harbour Street (between the Basin and the Orkney Ferries building) will be closed off to traffic. Bollards will be put in place here which can be removed should a particularly wide load require access.

The changes should, the council said, improve safety for a number of pedestrian groups including ferry passengers, general pier users and cruise liner passengers.

The new layout won’t affect the general operation of the pier and has in fact been used in the past on particularly busy days, for example cruise liner days – and shown to work well.

David Sawkins, the OIC’s deputy harbour master, said: “The changes have come about due to feedback from our wide ranging group of pier users. Our main aims are to maintain the efficient operation of the pier, improve the safety of vehicle and pedestrians using the pier and maintain access to the pier for particularly wide loads on the rare occasion that this is requires. We feel that this solution meets these aims.”

The work will begin at the end of the month.